Another Pair Off the Needles

Walking Away Socks, Reflections
Originally uploaded by sunasak

I'm glad I took my time with these socks, because I really enjoyed knitting them, especially the Seacoast Panda yarn, which is so nice and thin, with that lovely bamboo sheen. There are a couple of other pictures on my Flickr pages, so click the link under the picture to see how they look on feet. Walking Away Socks is a really nice pattern. I'll probably make the third variant eventually, too!

I started the Diamond Waffle pattern on Knitty in my Knitivity Redwood sock yarn. That is one complex set of instructions, dude. And why is there a full page photo of the socks? The detail is nice, but it ate all my printer ink. I think I should have looked over the instructions better before printing them out. But, they will look cool, if I can figure out all the various techniques.

Sweater Issues

So, I went home last night, finished these socks, then swatched the Kauni yarn to see if it would work with the Knitting Pure and Simple cardigan I am supposed to teach. The best I can get out of it is 6 stitched per inch, and the pattern wants 5. By the time I added in the stranded pattern, I'd really be changing the pattern like crazy if I tried to use that yarn. I do think I'd rather make a cardigan of the yarn, so I will either find another pattern or make up something.

In the meantime, I realized that Mr. Greenjeans, the next thing I want to make, IS a top-down cardigan pattern, and I already have the lovely Cascade 220 hand painted stuff to make it with! I can just use it to demonstrate techniques for the class--that will be fine! And at least I now know what yarns at the shop are appropriate for the pattern, so I can steer people to them. So, all is well. I don't have to buy yarn after all and can teach the class.

I did not neglect the surplice top yesterday. Both sleeves are complete and I am almost done with the edging around the collar/fronts (just two rows left--I got too sleepy to keep going). Next, whether I like it or not, will come the dreaded sewing in of sleeves and the less dreaded side seams. Then. whoa, I will be DONE! Imagine, a completed non-sock. I'll have something I made to wear to work other than Juliet! I am thinking I won't get to the sewing up until Sunday, when I can concentrate on it (tomorrow, yarn shop then a band contest in the evening). Perhaps I can sneak it in Saturday afternoon so it can block on Sunday.

I have some knitting books coming in the mail and some yarn (bad, bad yarn-buying Suna). I'll report on them and continue the teaching information later! Have a good weekend, readers!

Sockilicious Knitting Weekend

Silver Leaf Reflections Walking Away Sock
Originally uploaded by sunasak

I got more done on the Silver Leaf Reflections Walking Away Sock (what a mouthful) over the weekend, since I was away from home a lot and couldn't work on my bigger project. This sock looks teeny tiny when it isn't on a foot, since the whole front is ribbing and the back has ribs, too. But as you can see it fills out nicely.

I am loving the color of this Seacoast Panda yarn, and as always I love bamboo in sock yarn. Feels light as feather when it's on and is thin enough I will be able to wear it with nicer open-back shoes than my extra casual Birkenstocks and clogs. My previous pair is in sport weight wool, so it's thicker.

I enjoyed helping a lot more people at the yarn shop on Saturday, even if none of last week's students returned (one did call, though). I got to teach 3-needle bind off and got a nice teen girl going on a scarf. Plenty of knitting also occurred at a high school football game, waiting at a restaurant, watching football on TV and during an extra-long church service, the highlight of which was my son playing tuba.

I'll be posting more beginning knitting teaching tips later in the week so stay tuned.

Color Meme and Knitty Review

First, yay, I finished the Disco Colori socks. You can see their lovely matching heels and the large amount of leftover yarn in this picture. I think I will make my sister wrist warmers out of the leftover, even if they aren't often worn by the over-60 set (much older sister, hee hee). The sparkling silver will make them sort of jewelry-like.




Color Meme



This color meme came from a blog by Kristi. I think it's interesting, so here are my answers.

1. What is your current favorite color? Violet

2. Had your favorite color changed over the years? No, it's been purple most of my life.

3. Is your current favorite color one that is currently trendy? (Do you see it in the fashion rags or on the clothes rack or in the linen aisle right now? How about 5 years ago?) I just bought a shirt in my exact favorite shade, which is a good sign. I see lots of purple linens, so I think it's still in fashion. The apricot and mint scheme I loved in the 80s for home decor is gone, though.

4. What is your favorite color combination? Black and red (wear) or purple and green (look at)

5. Is that combination a popular one? (Is it use in prints you see in the stores and catalogs and magazines now? How about 5 years ago?) There tends to always be black and red stuff to wear, and for the last few years there has been a lot of purple and green home decor stuff. We just got a lot of new items for the guest room in that combo, and painted the walls subtle versions of them.

6. What is your favorite way of using color in your knitting? (Are you a stranded knitter? Do you prefer simple stripes? Do you prefer just accents at the hems/collars?) I like to knit things that subtly change color, or are all mottled. I like stripes, but other than on socks they aren't my best look. I like slip stitch patterns and stranded items a lot. The combo of black with a variegated yarn always looks neat to me.

7. What colors look good on you? In my "normal" hair I look good in deep versions of colors like red, black, dark purple, and blue. Things with more of a bluish tinge. With my colored hair, I can wear a lot more stuff with more orange.

8. What colors look bad on you? Tan that is close to my skin color, pure white, greenish yellow, mauve (muddy colors), lilac (which is too bad because I like the color).

9. Do you wear colors that don’t look good on you just because you like them? For a long time I kept buying lilac yarn and knitting with it, only to see that it didn't look good on me. Same with tan. I did stop doing that. Sometimes I wear a color that doesn't look good on me, though. It's not the end of the world. I am not a supermodel.

10. What is your favorite neutral color? black

11. Is there a sweater pattern that uses more than one color that you’d like to make, but you wish to change the colors from what is published? If yes, which one? Whoa, I rarely make anything in the color it is published in. Lots of sweaters show up in colors no one should wear!! The fact that I am knitting my current top in the color in the picture shocks me--but it's the colorway that looked best on me! I am pretty confident in my ability to pick a good color for a garment. And my LYS friends will let me know if I stray.

Knitty Review

Time for another Knitty review! Overall it's a dandy issue, though whoever coded the apostrophes might want to check out their HTML. I may add to this as I get time, but here are my first reactions to the patterns in the Fall 2007 Knitty, listed in order of what I'd most like to knit:

1. Mr. Greenjeans: this is already printed out and I am hoping the LYS has the yarn the designer used. If not, I already have ideas for options. This has everything I like. One piece construction, cables, raglans, wearability at work. Woo.
   
2. Diamond Waffle: OMG, what a cool sock!!! It has all sorts of interesting construction details--the gusset, the toe, the main pattern! I just flew over to Knitivity and ordered Ray's new Redwood colorway to make it in. Maybe for a dude. Maybe for me.


3. Back to Basics: I like the interesting techniques in this one as well, especially the way the ribbing starts, and bet it will show up on my needles at some point.


4. Muir: Well, I like Muir Woods, and I like lace. It's a bit "holey" but looks like it would be fun. It's on my long list of lace things to make, fer sure.


5. Totally Autumn: on this one I liked the photo with the feet sticking out, and loved the pattern, though I think the yarn colorway detracted a bit (yarn looks great to touch, though). That said, I'd probably pick a yarn like that, too, 'cause that's what I like to buy. But, well, I am trying to be mature and realize that not all variegated yarns go with all laces. (I am sure many folks think my pink/gray/white lace shawl was a bit much, so I am not claiming I am such a great lace yarn picker.

OK, there are a couple of patterns I probably would not ever make but I have comments on:

1. Flower Power: the model is the cutest baby! Click the link just to see that precious face!


2. Q: that is a really interesting sock done in a very interesting technique. But it's too busy, complicated or something for me. I will enjoy seeing other people wear it, though!


3. Cinderella: again, a great idea that will make all those people who don't like circular knitting but want to make socks very happy. But, I don't really like the way it looks, and I am not sure why. Perhaps the yarn is too thick?

I sure am glad that Amy Singer came up with this online magazine and has kept it going. Much sympathy to her with the gall bladder issue. Been there, hated that. And thanks to all who submit patterns. It's so fun to see what folks out there are up to!

And last, here is a sneak peak of my next sock! Seacoast Panda wool/bamboo sock yarn in Silver Leaf. Walking Away Socks, by Joanne Clark, Reflections version. It's a Fiber Trends pattern, so you can get it wherever those are sold.

More Productive Knitting Weekend!

In addition to going on about my weekend,

Close Up of Pantaloon Edge
Originally uploaded by sunasak

I'm also sharing the excitement of my friend Katie's Finished Object--beautiful lace-edge pantaloons, or lounging pants, or something. I have other photos in my Flickr set from my knitting friends, if you want to see what the whole thing looks like (I didn't want to put Katie in her lounging attire directly on the blog). As Katie points out in the comments, the pattern is Unmentionables, from Knitty.

Katie was incredibly patient knitting long stretches of stockinette, then VERY long stretches once the ruffle started. But she got to touch wonderful Cathay yarn for all that time, and now has the most luxurious lounging attire of anyone I know! Katie will no doubt tell me where the pattern came from in the comments, which will be helpful since my mind has blanked it out, even though I knew it perfectly well at one time.

Note: For some reason I keep spelling Katie's name like the Houston suburb of Katy, and not like her "real" name. I wonder how many times I will have to tell myself to stop doing that? Anyway, sorry, Katie.

My Knitting Fun

As the blog entry title hints, I had a better knitting weekend than last week. I did sock #2 for Lee's dad really quickly, thanks to a very long ride on a hot school bus and a lot of time at the yarn shop on Saturday. I'm just glad all that jumping up and down to cheer didn't get the stitches messed up. But, sock #2 is as sturdy, brown and utilitarian as sock #1!

I got well past the heel on the second Disco Colori sock by Sunday afternoon. I am very proud of the toe, which is a thing of beauty and smoothness, as well as the heel, which pretty much exactly matches the patterning on the first sock. I was not sure if the yarn would line up that well, but it did. Yay, I will have identical twins, not fraternal.

I wandered around the room thinking about what socks to knit next for a while yesterday afternoon. I eventually settled on the Silver Leaf colorway Panda yarn from Seacoast, because it is shiny from the bamboo, and so silvery and green. And not turquoise or brown. I went through a number of decisions on what socks to knit, but settled on the Walking Away Socks pattern from Fiber Trends. I've made the center pattern already (see this blog entry for info). This time I will make the one on the left, if you know what the pattern looks like. Everyone really seems to like my socks with interesting back views.

After that, I will go back to gift socks, because I found at the LYS on Saturday Austermann Step in a subdued orange and blue colorway that I can use to make "Go Gators" socks for my sister, who is in Gainesville. It'll be a two-sock holiday for her!

Non-Sock Knitting at Last!

But, I did it! I knitted something other than a sock! I unraveled the cast off on the lace panel I'd done on the surplice top, and started up the back in lovely stockinette. The yarn, which is Nashua Natural Focus Ecologie Cotton is lovely the way it shades slightly, but it sure likes to come apart. It's very loosely wound and consists of what appears to be ten or twelve very thin strands, and it is very easy to miss a strand. So I do have to pay attention. I will love wearing this, though, so I will march forward more rapidly now, I hope.

KnitPicks Needles

Wow, have those new KnitPicks needles started a lot of discussion on various boards and such. People either love them or loathe them. I guess those beautiful rainbows that seem so fun to me really bother others (yet I have read about people who find the metal ones "too shiny" so it takes all kinds, I guess). When I got to the yarn shop on Saturday, Amy was there to teach a sock class. Turns out she had done just what I did--opened her email, saw the needles and ordered ASAP so she'd get some before they sold out. We laughed at our own predictability.

Class

I taught a pretty big beginning knitting class, all but one of whom really weren't beginners, but that's OK. They were all progressing rapidly enough that they ended up making basketweave scarves, and once the realization that you have to move the yarn between knitting and purling was clear, they were going like gangbusters. Almost all of them were using Smile yarn on large needles, so a lot of knitting happened. What I liked best was that they were so enthusiastic that most of them are coming back next week to learn more! I had a request for how to knit a simple hat, so that should be fun to show them. As tired as I was from the long bus ride the night before, their enthusiasm was contagious! Teaching knitting is probably the most fun work I've ever done.

From October 2006: Walking Away Socks

Walking Away Socks
Originally uploaded by sunasak

I labeled this with the date I knitted the socks, so you won't think I churned these out overnight. I am really not all that fast of a knitter, no Wendy Johnson, sigh (she is so fast AND creative, even when she feels bad, what a gal!).

I just thought it was time to share an oldie but goodie, since I don't have a photo of my second feather-and-fan sock (I am heading up the leg now, so it will be done soon). That will be another pair of socks in a week, which is good for me.

The Walking Away Socks came out very nicely, I think. They are a Fiber Trends pattern that comes in three variants. They are designed to be work with open-backed shoes, so they have patterning going all the way down. i made these out of a light sportweight yarn that Joslyn's Fiber Farm sent as part of their sock club.* As far as I can tell, it's hand painted, and a lovely collection of lilacs and violets.

The front of the socks are a plain K1 P1 rib, which keeps the socks on nicely and lets you focus on the yarn in the front. The other two variants of the Walking Away Socks are also very nice, and I will try each of them, eventually. Certainly I have enough lovely sock yarn for that. Heh. And more keeps coming in...

Speaking of getting stuff, I got three books from the Interweave scratch and dent sale yesterday. One is the Christmas Stocking book, which I have borrowed my friend Katie's copy of, so I can now return that, and still EVENTUALLY finish the kids' stockings. Before they are adults. The patterns are complex, though. But I do have yarn ready for them.

I also got Wrap Style and a Folk Socks book. I could not remember if it was the one I already had, or the one I didn't. There are lots of books on folk socks. If I already have it, certainly it will make a nice gift for a deserving someone, so it is not a waste. The books were good deals and are not in bad shape at all, at least from a cursory glance.

* As for that sock club (and yay, they have updated their web design!). I've been in it for a couple of years and should probably resign. I like all the interesting sock patterns I've received, but the yarn's another story. Way too much of it is sport or worsted weight, and I don't knit many socks of that weight (I know many people do, and think it is good to give them some yarn they will like, just it isn't for me). Also, very few of the colors reflect my taste. (Of course, this means I have yarn I won't mind giving away as gifts.) I have a whole bunch of unlabeled yarn from that club, which I assume is yarn the owner dyed herself, but I don't know what the content is--wish they came with labels. I guess that's my main issue--the yarns no longer come with a sheet of paper saying what they are, and that makes it hard to know what to do with them. Still, the surprise is fun, so if you like surprises and want to collect some new patterns, I encourage you to try this or another sock club.

I do have a tip about sock club yarn. Whenever I get a shipment, I take the pattern that comes with it and write down which yarn it came with, on the pattern. That way, if I feel like knitting the pattern that came with one of the yarns, I'll know which it is, but I can still file the pattern with my other sock patterns and use if for other things, too.

Well, for someone who wasnt' going to post today because she wasn't feeling too well, I have certainly typed a bit. I have a meeting this evening, which means more time to knit! Last night I had to concentrate on singing, which messed up my short-row heel and I had to do parts of it twice. But I did learn my harmony parts. La la la.